Village of Skokie - Manager's Office

And The Survey Says: Life is Good in Skokie!
This is the opinion of 92% of Skokie residents responding to a late 2006 written citizen survey. The National Research Center, Inc., an independent survey firm based in Boulder, Colorado, conducted the survey on the Village’s behalf. A total of 1,200 randomly selected homes, apartments and condominiums received the survey, with about 40% completing and returning the survey document. The survey measures both residents satisfaction with life in the Village and Village programs and services, as well as areas that might need additional study, resources or programs. Overall, the Village received very high marks. All of the survey information will be used to determine the future direction of services and programs offered to Skokie residents.

Skokie is a National Leader
The 2006 survey results were compared with results of a nearly identical 2003 Skokie citizen survey and with survey results from hundreds of other communities across the nation. Virtually all of Skokie’s services rank above the norm when compared to other participating communities. Of the 26 Village services compared on a national level, 18 or 70% rated in the 90th percentile or better.

Residents Express Confidence in Skokie’s Government
A portion of the citizen survey focused on public trust and resident perception of local government practices. The bar chart to the right shows that all of the Village’s public trust ratings are well above national norms, with an average 94th national percentile ranking.

Relative to welcoming citizen involvement, Skokie ranks in the 97th percentile. This is a credit to Skokie’s long history of participatory government, clearly evidenced by the more than 250 people serving on the Village’s many advisory boards and commissions.

Taxes – Good Value for Village Services, but General Concerns
When rating the magnitude of potential community problems, some 33% of respondents cited property taxes as a major problem. This compares with only 22% who rated it such in the 2003 survey. Despite this rating of property taxes as a major problem, the chart below shows that the vast majority of residents surveyed believe they receive good value for the taxes paid to the Village, placing Skokie in the 94th national percentile for this question.

In 1991, the Village Board committed to hold the line on municipal property taxes. While the initial tax freeze was intended for a five-year period, the Village’s 2006 tax levy was the 16th consecutive levy that met the Board’s tax freeze commitment. The Village's 2006 property tax levy of $15,456,695 is the same dollar amount that was levied by the Village in 1990. Last year, the Village of Skokie’s percentage of an average property tax bill was 8.53%, down from 15.22% in 1990. Please see article on page six for additional property tax information.

Strong Support for Downtown Skokie Redevelopment
In the 2006 survey, 54% of those surveyed rated Downtown Skokie as somewhat to very successful, by contrast to the 42% who rated it such in 2003.

Using an importance scale from essential to not very important, 82% of 2006 survey respondents rated redeveloping Downtown Skokie as essential, very important or important, with only 5% giving it a not very important rating. Some 86% of those surveyed rated investment in revitalizing Downtown Skokie as essential, very important or important.

The Village Board recently approved development plans for the Illinois Science + Technology Park at the former Searle/Pfizer site in Downtown Skokie. In January 2007, the Village issued a Request for Qualifications from developers for development of the block bounded by Oakton Street, Floral Avenue, Brown Street and Lincoln Avenue, and plans for the new Downtown Skokie Swift Station continue to progress. Please see the April 2007 edition of NewSkokie for a special section on Downtown Skokie redevelopment progress.

Service Quality Ratings – Skokie’s Services Rank in the 97th National Percentile
Some 89% of respondents rated Skokie’s services as excellent or good, as compared with a 37% excellent or good rating for the Federal government and a 50% excellent or good rating for the State of Illinois government. Skokie ranks in the 97th percentile nationally relative to quality of services when Skokie’s services are compared to those offered by other municipalities. This high ranking is not surprising, as Skokie remains the first and only town in the nation with accredited Police and Public Works Departments and an accredited, Insurance Services Office Class One-rated Fire Department.

All of Skokie’s service ratings are above the national norms. Particular areas of strength include emergency services, with Fire and Ambulance/Emergency Medical services ranking in the 98th national percentile, Police services in the 92nd national percentile and Crime Prevention in the 92nd national percentile. Traffic enforcement rated in the 97th national percentile. Relative to Public Works services, street sweeping ranks in the 95th national percentile which is consistent with the American Public Works Association recently naming Skokie’s street sweeping program as a national model. Skokie’s garbage collection service, recycling collection and yard waste pick up rank in the 93rd, 91st and 95th national percentiles, respectively, with code enforcement ranking in the 93rd national percentile. Residents are also pleased with the quality of Skokie’s drinking water and the amount of public parking, both of which rank in the 96th national percentile.

Quality of Services to Special Populations
Skokie’s social services rank high relative to national norms, with services to low-income people in the 97th national percentile, services to seniors in the 94th percentile and services to youth in the 89th percentile. This is a credit to the Village’s Human Services Division that administers the annual Assist-A-Family Program (see list of 2006 program donors on pages five and nine), the Senior Transportation for Area Residents (STAR) program and the Youth Outreach initiative in cooperation with area high schools, the Skokie Police Department and the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Quality of Services Specific to Skokie
The survey included a number of questions on services specific to Skokie for which national comparisons are unavailable. For example, 92% of those surveyed rated NewSkokie, the Village newsletter, as good or excellent, and 86% gave the same rating to SkokieNews, the Village’s monthly electronic newsletter.

Fire prevention efforts, relative to code enforcement, received an 86% excellent/good rating, and fire prevention public education efforts received an 82% excellent/good rating. The Skokie Police Department received a 78% excellent/good rating relative to competence of Police Department employees, and a 74% excellent/good rating for Police officers’ attitudes and behaviors toward citizens (see page four for more Police Department ratings). Skokie residents gave services of the Skokie Health Department, one of only eight certified municipal health departments in the State of Illinois, an 84% excellent/good rating (see page seven for a list of Health Department programs and services). On a variety of other topics, the Village’s web site, www.skokie.org, received an 81% excellent/good rating; obtaining a building permit received a 67% excellent/good rating; Village communication on construction projects and road closures received a 66% excellent/good rating and 61% of respondents gave excellent/good ratings to commercial/residential development.

Importance of Community Issues
Residents were asked to rate the importance of community issues or initiatives, with the scale ranging from essential to not very important. Traffic/transportation, at-risk youth and elderly care services received the highest essential/very important/ important ratings, followed by domestic violence, redevelopment of Downtown Skokie’s former Searle/Pfizer campus, Downtown Skokie redevelopment and affordable housing. The chart below shows exact percentages in each category.

Community Characteristic Ratings
All of Skokie’s community characteristics ratings are above national norms. Resident ratings for the community’s openness and acceptance towards people of diverse backgrounds fell in the 97th national percentile, followed closely by opportunities to attend cultural activities in the 93rd percentile and recreational opportunities in the 92nd percentile. In 2006, 44% of residents rated Skokie’s job opportunities as excellent/good, compared with a 37% similar 2003 rating. Access to affordable quality housing also received greater positive ratings in 2006 than in 2003.

Overall Sense of Community Safety and Sense of Safety in Specific Areas
A total 94% of 2006 survey respondents said they feel very to somewhat safe in their Skokie neighborhood during the day with 0% saying they feel very unsafe. This rating and those regarding daytime and after-dark safety in Downtown Skokie and in Skokie parks are all above the national norms. Relative to safety in their neighborhood after dark, 75% said they feel very to somewhat safe which is similar to the national norm.

Community Program Participation
These questions assessed resident participation in specific Village of Skokie programs and services as well as some offered by other Skokie organizations, including the Library and Park District, and others that are more general, such as purchasing goods over the Internet. NewSkokie readership remains high, with 90% saying they or someone in their household read the newsletter at least once during the past year.

While the 12% who said they attended a Village Board meeting marks a 4% decrease from 2003, 30% of the 2006 respondents report watching Village Board meetings on cable television, a 5% increase from 2003. An astounding 96% of 2006 survey respondents report visiting Downtown Skokie at least once during the past twelve months.

Some 87% report visiting a Skokie park during the past year, and 84% report using the Skokie Public Library or its services at least once in the past twelve months. A total of 27% report volunteering their time to a Skokie group or activity, up 6% from 2003. Recycling is a popular activity, with 86% reporting participation in the Village’s recycling programs.

Skokie Police Department Practices
As a requirement for the Skokie Police Department’s professional accreditation by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, the question In what ways do you think that the Skokie Police Department can improve its practices? appeared in both the 2003 and 2006 surveys. The three most predominant responses in the 2006 survey and a 2003 comparison include:

Other less predominant responses include enforcing speed limits/traffic violations and being more professional/ knowledgeable, both 8%; more responsive to calls, 5% and giving less tickets/making less stops, 4%. The Police Department uses this data for planning staff training and community outreach programs.

Problem Issues in the Community
Skokie residents cited property taxes, unsupervised youth and teardown of older single-family homes as among their top concerns in 2006. Property taxes had the highest increase, with a 33% major problem rating in 2006 compared to a 22% rating in 2003. As explained on page one in the section on property taxes, it is noteworthy that 67% of 2006 respondents strongly or somewhat agree that they receive a good value for their Village property taxes. Unsupervised youth had a 21% major problem 2006 rating, contrasted with 19% in 2003. Teardown of older homes follows, with a 16% major problem 2006 rating and an 11% similar 2003 rating. Drugs received a 13% major problem rating in 2006 and a 9% similar rating in 2003. Homelessness, unmaintained properties and crime received the lowest major problem ratings.

Likelihood of Using e-government Services
As in 2003, residents responding to the 2006 survey expressed relatively neutral opinions about using online options to conduct Village business. For example, 38% of 2006 respondents said they are very to somewhat likely to use online payment of water bills, with 51% somewhat to very unlikely. Each of the five question categories relative to specific potential online Village services had small increases in very to somewhat likely responses over the 2003 survey, with online application for a building permit and online payment of parking tickets receiving the highest increases. The 36% very to somewhat likely 2006 rating for online application for a building permit is 6% higher than the same 2003 rating, and the 41% very to somewhat likely 2006 rating for online payment of parking tickets represents a 5% increase from the same 2003 rating.

Importance of Investments or Services Changes for Skokie
The 2006 survey asked respondents to rate the importance of a number of potential investments or service changes. In order, they received the following essential/important/very important ratings:

• Investment in revitalizing Downtown Skokie, 86%
• Install sidewalks in residential areas without sidewalks, 75%
• Change recycling service to once per week, 58%
• Investment in a new or remodeled Police station, 52%
• Change garbage collection from twice weekly to once per week, 28%

Village Customer Service
Some 67% of those surveyed said they had either phone or in-person contact with a Village employee during the past year. Residents gave Village employees high marks near the top of national percentiles for all areas of customer service. Village employees placed in the 94th national percentile for knowledge, in the 96th national percentile for their responsiveness and in the 87th national percentile for courtesy. For overall impression, Skokie employees ranked in the 91st percentile nationally.

Rate of Growth
The 2006 survey shows a decrease in the perception that Skokie’s population is growing too fast, with 38% of respondents rating it as such as compared to a 41% too fast rating in 2003. In 2006, 37% rated retail growth as too slow, compared with a 33% 2003 rating. Finally, 62% of 2006 respondents rated job growth in the community as too slow, compared to 70% who rated it such in 2003.

What is the Village Going To Do with the Survey Results?
Village officials and staff continue to analyze all survey information to develop program recommendations, budget requests and other specific courses of action. The Village Board will consider any program and service enhancements or changes during the annual budget process. Some programs are already in place. For example, after results from the 2003 survey, the budget for the annual Residential Street Resurfacing program increased from $1.3 million in fiscal year 2003 to $1.46 million in the Village’s current budget. Non-budgetary issues will be considered in various long-range planning tools, such as the Village’s Marketing and Communications Plan and updates to the Comprehensive Plan. It is expected that the next formal citizen survey will take place during summer 2009.

We want to hear from you!
The Village welcomes comments and questions from residents. A number of options are available for residents to share questions, thoughts and concerns with the Village:

• Complete and submit the Feedback form on the back page of this or any edition of NewSkokie.
• Email the Village at info@skokie.org or call one of the Village departments.
• Attend a Village Board meeting. See page six for March 2007 meeting dates and times.

The following list contains the names of many of the generous 2006 Assist-A-Family program contributors:

Recent Village Board Action
Approved the purchase of four outdoor emergency warning sirens and a control station. The Village’s existing siren alerting system is forty years old and has continuously been plagued with mechanical issues. The State of Illinois is providing the Village with a $100,000 grant for the purchase. The Honorable State Representative Louis Lang was instrumental in securing the grant.

Approved grant funding from the Judicial Advisory Council of Cook County in the amount of $11,658. The Village has received funding from this agency since 1997, and has utilized grant monies to implement and maintain several successful programs such as the Youth Outreach initiative and the Bicycle Patrol Unit.

Approved a resolution authorizing the application for a $253,209.31 grant for emergency 9-1-1 telecommunications enhancements related to a court ruling regarding the Infrastructure Maintenance Fees applied to wireless carriers. The grant monies would be spent to improve the Village’s Communication Center.

Approved a resolution authorizing a redevelopment agreement between the Village and Forest City in regard to the Illinois Science + Technology Park. The agreement is consistent with the letter of agreement sent to Forest City in February 2005 and confirmed by the Village Board on March 17, 2005.

The Economic Development Agreement provides that Forest City will develop a multi-tenant life sciences research and development campus and that it will be consistent with zoning and site plan documents approved by the Plan Commission and Village Board. The Village’s obligation is to provide $10,000,000 in financial assistance reimbursable to Forest City and consistent with the Illinois Tax Increment Financing laws of Illinois and the Village of Skokie. An additional financial component of the agreement is a profit cash flow entitling the Village to 7% of cash flows once the developer achieves the agreed upon 13% rate of return.

Village 2006 Property Tax Freeze
Over 15 years ago, the Skokie Village Board committed to a five-year property tax freeze. The Board has been able to continue this freeze for eleven additional years, making the 2006 property tax levy the 16th that meets the Board's commitment to hold the line on property taxes.

The Village's 2006 property tax levy in the amount of $15,456,695 is the same dollar amount that was levied by the Village in 1990. When the property tax freeze was initiated in 1990, the Village's property taxes were approximately 15.22% of an average property tax bill. With the 2005 levy, Skokie's property taxes amounted to only 8.53% of an average property tax bill. Taxpayers save an additional estimated $222 per year because the Village does not adjust its tax levy for inflation.

These property tax savings are possible through conservative budgeting, revenue diversification and thoughtful, progressive economic development to provide alternative funding sources for Village programs and services.

The Skokie Village Board meets the first and third Monday of each month, except in the case of a holiday. Meetings begin at 8 p.m. in the Council Chambers of Skokie Village Hall, 5127 Oakton Street.

Watch the Village Board Meetings on SkokieVision Cable Television (Channel 22
on RCN systems, Channel 17 on Comcast systems). The Board Meetings are broadcast at noon and 8 p.m. on the Thursday, Saturday and Tuesday following a Board Meeting.

Upcoming Public Meetings
All meetings are held at Village Hall ( 5127 Oakton Street).

Board of Trustees: March 5, 19
Plan Commission: March 1, 15
Appearance Commission: March 14
Zoning Board of Appeals: March 7, 21

Skokie Health Department Services
The Village of Skokie’s fully certified Health Department is staffed with professional Nurses, Environmental Specialists and Animal Control Officers who respond to a wide range of health matters through direct service, consultation or referral.

The programs offered by the Health Department add to the high quality of life enjoyed by Skokie residents. The Department is one of only a few municipal health departments in the State that is certified by the State of Illinois Department of Public Health.

The following list of Health Department services illustrates the variety of important services available to Skokie residents and businesses of Skokie.

Administration and Personal Health Services, 847/933-8252
• Skokie Birth & Death Registry
• Skokie Blood Donation Program
• Community Education Programs
• Stop Smoking Clinic
• Blood Pressure Screening
• Body Composition Analysis
• Children’s Vision and Hearing Screening
• Cholesterol Screening
• Colorectal Cancer Screening
• Communicable Disease Control
• Diabetes Screening
• Family Planning Referral
• Flu Vaccination Clinics
• Foreign Travel Health Information
• Health Supervision Visits
• Adult Hearing Screening
• Immunization Clinics
• Lead Screening
• Lipid Profile Screening
• Nutrition Clinic
• School Health Services
• Sexually Transmitted Disease Control
• Car Safety Seat Loan Program
• Tuberculosis Control
• Well Child Clinic

Environmental Health, 847/933-8484
• Carbon Monoxide Testing
• Environmental Investigations
• Food Protection Inspections
• Food Service Sanitation Training
• Institutional Inspections
• Microwave Oven Testing
• Mosquito Abatement Inspections
• Solid Waste Investigations
• Swimming Pool Inspections
• Water Supply Sampling

Animal Control, 847/933-8484
• Adopt-A-Stray
• Animal Bite Investigation
• Domestic Animal Control
• Dog and Cat Licensing
• Lost and Found Animals
• Wildlife Control
• Wasp and Bee Control

For up-to-date information on Health Department services and programs, visit the Village’s web site at www.skokie.org. For March 2007 program dates and times, please turn to the Health Department’s section of the Community Calendar, located on page 10.

If you would like more information regarding any of these programs, contact the Health Department at (847) 933-8252.

Monday Group for Seniors
The Monday Group, Smith Activities Center’s general lecture program, meets at 1:30 p.m. Monday afternoons at 5120 Galitz St. The following programs are scheduled for March. The Smith Activities Center phone number is 847/933-8208.

March 5 - Table Games
Reserve your table to play a game of your choice. Bring treats for your table and enjoy a fun afternoon with your friends.

March 6 (Tuesday) - Healthy Cooking on a Budget
Alexander Aranas of Allied Home Health Care will present healthy cooking on a budget. Samples will be given out and we can accommodate approximately 25 to 30 people. Registration is required due to limited space. NOTE: This program takes place at 1 p.m.

March 12 - Old Time Radio Show
Sherrie Magnuson will present original broadcasts of old radio shows. Spend a fun afternoon with us and bring back memories of days of old.

March 19 - The Music Man
Robin “The Music Man” will bring his keyboard and entertain seniors with various musical selections.

The program is free of charge and available to low-to-moderate income senior residents, at least 60 years of age, and also those individuals with a disability. This program is available to U.S. citizens only.

The tax aides will assist with the completion and review of simple taxes only. One hour appointments will be scheduled, and due to time restrictions, second appointments will not be available.

For further information, or to schedule an appointment, please call the Human Services Division at 847/933-8208.

But what is carbon monoxide and what does this new law mean to you? According to the Webster’s Dictionary, “Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless, extremely poisonous gas formed by incomplete combustion of carbon or any carbonaceous material.” It is often traced to heat sources and automobile exhausts.

The new law requires every dwelling unit to have at least one UL approved carbon monoxide alarm within 15 feet of every room used for sleeping. A “dwelling unit” means a room or suite of rooms used for human habitation, and includes single family residences, multiple family residences and any mixed use buildings. The building owner is required to furnish each tenant per dwelling unit with written information regarding alarm testing and maintenance.

Install your alarm according to the manufacturer’s directions near a sleeping area, either high or low on the wall, as both are effective.

Be aware that installing a carbon monoxide alarm too close to a potential heat source, such as directly over a furnace or near a gas oven, may result in the alarm going off when no immediate danger exists (some appliances may emit small amounts of carbon monoxide when they first turn on).

For additional information about the new law or the effects of carbon monoxide, contact the Skokie Fire Prevention Bureau at 847/982-5340.

Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Replacement
The National Fire Protection Association recommends that smoke detectors be replaced when they fail to respond to tests or after they have been in use for ten years. The recommended replacement schedule for carbon monoxide detectors varies depending on the particular detector. It is very important to follow the manufacturer’s recommendation for detector replacement.

To register for SkokieNews, visit www.skokie.org or call 847/933-8257 and ask to be added to the list.

March 2007 Recycling Schedule
For additional information, contact the Skokie Public Works Department at 847/933-8427 or visit www.skokie.org

Health Happenings
Unless otherwise stated, all clinics are held at the Skokie Health Department, 5127 Oakton Street. Clinics marked with an * require advance registration. For more information or to register for a clinic, call 847/933-8252.

Blood Pressure Screening:
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 3-4:45 p.m.
Wednesdays, 9-10:30 a.m., 5-8 p.m.

*Body Composition Analysis:
Mondays, 2-4:30 p.m.
Thursdays, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Wednesdays, 5-8 p.m.
$4 fee

Simple Cholesterol Screening: (total cholesterol only)
Mondays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Thursdays, 1-4 p.m.
Wednesdays, 5-8 p.m.
$5 Fee.

*Lipid Profile Screening: (total cholesterol, HDL, triglycerides, LDL, cholesterol/HDL Ratio)
Mondays & Thursdays, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
Wednesdays, 5-8 p.m.
$12 Fee.

*Immunization Clinics:
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.,
Wednesdays, 5-8 p.m.
Wednesdays, March 14 & 28, 1:30-4 p.m.

Nutrition Lecture:
Thursday, March 15, 2 p.m.
Topic: “National Nutrition Month: Ask the Expert!”

Smith Center Senior Activities
Located at 5120 Galitz St. For more information, please call 847/933-8208.

Rules of the Road
Driver’s exam review.
Monday, March 5, 9:15 a.m.-12 p.m.

Chair Exercises
Registration required.
Every Monday and Friday
11-11:30 a.m.

Conversational Yiddish
No fee or registration required.
Tuesdays, March 20 & 27, 1:30 p.m.

Medicare Supplement Claims Assistance/Senior Health Insurance Program
By appointment only.
Wednesday, March 14, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

Simple Will/Durable Power of Attorney/ Living Will Program
Call for an appointment.
Fee charged by attorney

Hear Ye, Hear Ye (Hearing Loss Support Group)
Thursday, March 8, 1:30-3 p.m.

NEW PROGRAM!
Cultural Adjustment
This program is run by Interfaith Refugee & Immigration Ministries to help immigrants adjust to American Culture. This program is for all ethnic groups. Tuesday, March 27, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie
For dates and times contact the box office at 847/673-6300 or visit www.northshorecenter.org.

The Great and Terrible Wizard of Oz
March 1-4 & 7-11
Call for showtimes.
Northlight Theatre

She Stoops to Conquer
March 21-25 & 27-31
Call for showtimes.
Northlight Theatre

A Four Course Feast - Entree
Skokie Valley Symphony Orchestra
March 25, 4 p.m.
Centre East Theatre

Skokie Library
For more information on Skokie Library events, visit www.skokielibrary.info or call 847/673-7774.

Inside Writing and Publishing
Registration for these workshops is required.

Visit the library’s website for a full schedule of workshops on the many facets of writing and getting your work published.

Dancing in the Library
Evanston Dance Ensemble and the Young Steinway Concert
Sunday, March 4, 2:30 p.m.

Teen Job Fair
Check out the possibilities for summer jobs on Thursday, March 29 from 11 a.m.-4p.m. This event is open to all job seekers, age 16 and older.

Skokie Park District
For more information about Park District programs or events, call 847/674-1500 or go online to www.Skokie ParkDistrict.org

Nature’s Palette Art Show
Exhibit open through April at the Emily Oaks Nature Center, 4650 Brummel St.

Shamrock Hunt at the Exploritorium
Wednesday, March 21, 6-8 p.m.
Oakton Community Center, 4701 Oakton St.

Slama Jama 3-on-3 Hoops Tournament
Double-elimination hoops extravaganza for boys and girls grades 3-8. Saturday, March 24, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Weber Leisure Center, 9300 Weber Park Pl.

2007 Members’ Spring Exhibit
Exhibit open March 3 through April 28 at the Emily Oaks Nature center, 4650 Brummel St.

Town Hall Meeting
Meet and connect with other parents at the first Skokie, Lincolnwood, Morton Grove and Niles Town Meeting. Topic “Raising Teens: A Risky Business” Wednesday, March 14, 2007, 7-8:30 p.m. at Niles West High School Auditorium, 5701 West Oakton Street. For more information, call the Niles West Administrative Offices at 847/626-3000.

CPR Schedule
The Skokie Fire Department’s CPR class is scheduled for March 20th. For information, call 847/982-5340.

Children’s Art Exhibition
In honor of Illinois Youth Arts Month, the Skokie Fine Arts Commission hosts the Student Outstanding Artist Recognition (SOAR) exhibition. Skokie school art teachers select art for the program.

Over 400 pieces of Skokie student artwork are displayed at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie from all grade levels, pre-school through high school.

The North Shore Center for the Performing Arts in Skokie is located at 9501 Skokie Boulevard. The public is invited to view the exhibition during the Performing Arts Center’s normal business hours.

“X” Marks the Spot
In March 2007, half of the Village is scheduled to be photographed from an aerial flyover. Aerial photos taken during the flyover will be incorporated in the Village’s Geographic Information System (GIS) maps. In order for this to be possible, exact reference points must be consistent in both the photographs and the Village’s existing maps. These points are called geodetic monuments and are the same monuments used by surveyors during land surveys.

There are currently 18 primary monuments and 22 secondary monuments in the Village. A primary monument is a 6-inch metal cap at ground surface level, and secondary monument is a 1” metal plug, also located at the ground surface level. These monuments are located mainly in public rights of way, sidewalks and curbs.

Since these reference points would not be visible in the aerial photographs due their small size, the Village will mark more than half of them with a six-foot-by-six-foot “X” before the flyover, during the month of March. Either white tape or plastic will be used, depending on whether the monument is on pavement or grass. Village employees will remove the marking during the days following the flyover.

During spring 2006, the first one half of the Village was photographed during a similar flyover. A small plane equipped with state-of-the-art photographic equipment flew over the Village and captured high-resolution photographs covering approximately the western and southern quarters of the community.

The flyover provided detailed information on the exact location of streets, street centerline, curb and sidewalk, driveways and building rooftops.

The Village of Skokie
Council/Manager Government
Since 1957

Officials:
Mayor
George Van Dusen

Clerk
Marlene Williams

Trustees
Michele L. Bromberg
Michael A. Gelder
Frank G. McCabe
Donald P. Perille
Randall E. Roberts
Edie Sue Sutker

Manager
Albert J. Rigoni

Phone Numbers:
Emergency
911

Information
673-0500

TTY
933-8455

Fire Non-Emergency
982-5300

Police Non-Emergency
982-5900

Citizens Assistance
933-8480

Managing Editor
Nori Van Elzen

Copyright ©2007 by Village of Skokie
All phone numbers have an area code of "847" unless otherwise noted.

• Skokie ranks in the 91st percentile nationally relative to residents being pleased with the overall direction that the Village of Skokie is taking.

• Relative to welcoming citizen involvement, Skokie ranks in the 97th percentile nationally.

• Resident ratings for the community’s openness and acceptance towards people of diverse background are in the 97th national percentile.

• Resident ratings for opportunities to attend cultural activities are in the 93rd percentile.

Feedback

The Village of Skokie is pleased to respond to your individual questions, thoughts and concerns. If you want to see something placed on the web site; included in a future NewSkokie; or have a question about an Ordinance, return this form to the Village Hall or e-mail us at www.skokie.org. Please provide your address so that we can respond to you directly.

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